Bounty paper towels - “the quicker picker upper” had an ad campaign from the 1970s to 1990 that featured Nancy Walker (played Rhoda’s mom on Rhoda) as Rosie, a New Jersey diner waitress that kept cleaning up after dopey truck drivers and salesman after they spilled their cup o’ joe. She was also a regular on McMillan and Wife for years. Also an accomplished stage and screen director and producer. In 1980, she directed Can’t Stop the Music, a musical that featured Steve Guttenberg, Valerie Perrine and The Village People. Why there isn’t a podcast dedicated to that movie only is beyond me. I’ll try to convince Kathy and Burk to do a one-off, but I’m doubting that will fly. Anyway, that movie was filmed in super garish color and is devastating to the eyes. Actually painful to watch.

So, after watching that for the tenth time in a row awhile back, it was a thrill to watch a couple of B & W flicks for Cinemondo. The two we watched are films I hadn’t seen before. Well, I saw Diabolique a long time ago, but was excited to rewatch it. In short, it is a true cinema classic. A film that must be seen by anyone who is remotely interested in seeing how you make a real propulsive thriller. It’s Hitchcock that Alfred couldn’t have improved upon. It’s that good. Great performances, a great climax and one of my favorite final shots. Please watch - don’t let the fact that it was made in 1955 freak you out. It’s really good - and the subtitles keep you more involved. It’s true with this one.

Whatever Happened to Baby Jane is a showcase for two classic Hollywood beauties who were past their prime when this was made in 1962. And that only adds to the weirdness of it. The film is very much of it’s time but, again, don’t let that dissuade you from watching it. The performances are creepy, the setting is creepy, the ending is creepy. It’s creepy, ooky. It’s weird. Oh, it’s creepy too.

I heard once that my former employers at TBS wanted to colorize WHTBJ. Oh man, that would have been an injustice. Or maybe not - put that on the back end of a double-feature with Can’t Stop the Music. Hmmm.